Cheap Packard spares in The U.K.

[Pete Watkins]

I've just got home from my local Wickes store. I found by accident a pack in the plumbing department called an "Additive Injector" that's supposed to be used to inject their "advanced concentrate protector and cleanser" into your central heating system.. The good news is that it's ideal for all Combi boilers! The better news is that it will make your Packard "fire", all for £10.21 including the V.A.T. Euro Tax. You might need some more tubing from your local aquarium shop but it's still a gift in my opinion.
I'm off to buy another one in the morning!
Best wishes,
Pete.

[Steven Tribe]

Do you mean some sort of bulb?
Photo?
Is this the one?
You were overcharged - found "easy squeeze" at £9.18.

[Pete Watkins]

Hi Steven,
Looks like exactly the same package with a different name on. I might have been robbed but I've saved on the boat fare.
Best wishes,
Pete.

[Steven Tribe]

Pete - you don't need a boat to get from Tamworth to Ealing (where the website is based).
Please report back on suitability - my present bulb is getting devulcanised and sticky. I don't fancy the idea of buying a complete blood pressure set (the alternative source) at the local Chemists. It's a bit like being a teen buying his first condoms (before supermarkets, that is) - but just at the other end of the life cyclus.

[edp]

You could probably cobble something together out of a pipette filler bulb (e.g. ebay 220701968487) or one of those squeezy blower things.

[Steven Tribe]

Lovely red colour - but I think the valves are set to suck rather than blow.
Volume is OK - I measured my antique bulb to 60cc.

[edp]

There are valves in all directions (you empty the bulb with one of them, and suck liquid into the pipette with another), but you'd probably be doing surgery on it with a sharp knife anyway because you don't really need valves unless you wanted to be clever and give your pneumatic shutter a T setting. It's a fairly cheap squeezy bulb, is all.

[Pete Watkins]

I've tried it on a couple of rebranded Packards (marked Dallmeyer, one boxed) and a Packard with a larger diameter aperture. It seems to work really well. The bulb itself has an arrow moulded into the rubber and it's very similar to a bulb that I've got that used to be between the petrol tank and an outboard motor (used to prime the motor).
I can't do any measurements as It's been put away until after Christmas.
Best wishes,
Pete.

[jp]

I just hooked up a desoldering bulb ($5-10) to my big 4" opening packard 6 shutter. It's probably either a radio shack or weller bulb with a teflon tip. I just pushed the tubing over the tip and I'm in business.

[IanG]

I've tried it on a couple of rebranded Packards (marked Dallmeyer, one boxed) and a Packard with a larger diameter aperture. It seems to work really well. The bulb itself has an arrow moulded into the rubber and it's very similar to a bulb that I've got that used to be between the petrol tank and an outboard motor (used to prime the motor).
I can't do any measurements as It's been put away until after Christmas.
Best wishes,
Pete.

Dallmeyer made these shutters themselves under licence, in the same way that Wray made Grafmatic backs, so they aren't re-badged..

Ian

[Pete Watkins]

Thanks Ian, they're identical in every way as far as I can see. A lot went on in Willesden years ago.
Pete.

[Steven Tribe]

OK, I am going down the pipette bulb path. Will post feedback about "capacity" and the valve questions.

[Steven Tribe]

I can report back that the pipette bulb, bought on e**y is of good quality with steel ball valves. The volume is OK for our purposes. The valve allowing air to pass from the bulb to the tubing is not easy for one-handed use as the volume is dependent on how far down the valve is squeezed. But it is very reliable - as long as the other seals are OK. Feels and smells like real rubber!